Spider
by Mystical Opal
Summary: Draco learns something about Hermione that no one suspects.
1. Never Felt This Way

Draco Malfoy stood unamused in the Great Hall. It was just another boring first day of school, as far as he was concerned. He missed the summer terribly; sleeping in, lounging around the manor, the elegant parties. He was already counting the days until Christmas break.

His interests perked at the sound of three familiar voices: Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Looking for something to pass the time, he seized the opportunity to entertain himself.

"Oy! Weasley!"

The three friends turned in unison at the sound of the all too familiar voice, each bearing the same expression of dismay. They were holding Ron's filthy owl.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked, preparing to stick up for his friend.

Draco got an evil grin on his face.

"Did you have to bring that foul smelling thing in _here_?

Ron turned bright red with embarrassment and anger. Seeing that Ron was close to pouncing, Harry began to hold him back.

"How dare," was all Ron could get out before he was interrupted.

"I was talking to the owl," Malfoy replied with a wicked grin.

"That's a good question, Malfoy," Hermione replied sarcastically. "Now maybe you can tell me what the point of having a brain is, when you're incapable of using it?"

At Hermione's comment, Draco stared at Hermione. For some reason, an odd smirk spread across Draco's face.

"Touche, Granger," Draco replied as he slowly turned and left.

Hermione didn't know what was different about Draco this year, but he had never smiled at her that way before.


	2. Our Little Secret

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT J.K. Rowling. Therefore, I don't own Harry or his friends. But I'm guessing you already knew that.

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"Draco. Draco. DRACO!"

"Hum," replied Draco, shaken out of his daydream.

"Pass the Pumpkin Juice," Pansy answered, looking disgustedly at her crush. "What's with you, Drakie? You've been acting rather...odd lately."

"No I haven't. Now shut your jabbering trap and pass me some Shepards' Pie."

"Same old Draco," Pansy muttered under her breath.

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Later that day in Potions class, Draco seized his opportunity talk her.

"Granger, can I talk to you in the hall for a second?"

"I guess. But make it quick, Harry and Ron are waiting for me," she replied startled.

Hermione looked at Harry and Ron as she passed them and shrugged at their questioning faces. Draco and Hermione walked down the hall receiving glances of utter confusion.

"Listen, I was just going to ask you if...,"

"Look, Draco. I don't let Harry and Ron copy my homework, and you're not going to either."

"I don't want to copy your homework, Granger. Besides, why would I copy you? I have marks to maintain."

"Well then, what do you want?"

"I just want to spend some time with you. You know, without Potty and Weasel."

"Why?"

"I don't know...can't I just want to get to know a person better without getting the third degree?"

"Draco, I know you're up to something. Whatever it is, just get it out of your system so that we can go on hating each other, like normal."

"Granger, just meet me at the Three Broomsticks at 3 o'clock on Saturday."

And with that, Draco walked away leaving Hermione dumbfounded.

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"Professor, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second," Hermione asked shyly.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Yes, of course you may. Just have a seat."

Hermione did as she was instructed. Professor Dumbledore knew by the look on her face that something was troubling her, so he cut to the chase.

"What can I help you with, Ms. Granger?"

"Well, Professor, Draco Malfoy had been acting rather...well, strange lately."

Professor Dumbledore sat and listened intently as Hermione told him all about her situation.

"Professor, I don't know what to do. The whole situation is...well, scary. What do you think could have caused this change in Draco's character?"

Professor Dumbledore sat in deep thought for a moment before finally answering her question.

"Ms. Granger, maybe there's another side of Draco that we haven't seen before. Now that his father is in Azkaban, Draco can make his own decisions. Before, his father _told_ him what to think. Maybe now, he's realising that his father's way isn't always the right way."

Hermione had never looked at it that way before. She had never realised that Draco's opinions were so heavily influenced by his father.

"Thank you for your help, Professor." Hermione said, obviously busy thinking of many other things.

"That's what I'm here for, Ms. Granger."

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Draco sat at the Three Broomsticks waiting for Hermione. He felt like an idiot. What made him think that she'd want to be caught dead with him?

"Malfoy?" asked Hermione trying to get his attention.

Draco turned at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Hermione! I was just waiting for you!"

"I figured. Um, Draco? I'm confused. Why did you want me to meet you here?"

"Granger, I just want to get to know you."

"Malfoy, will you listen to yourself? You're acting like you're in love with me or something! You are starting to scare me Draco. This is so unlike you to even talk to me, and now all of a sudden you want to get to know me for no apparent reason, and I'm just supposed to accept it and not wonder why you have this sudden interest in me?"

"Gran...Hermione, it's not like that. I just..."

"You just what?"

Draco sat speechless on his barstool.

"That's what I thought. I'll see you around Draco."

"Hermione, wait! Please, don't go!"

"Draco, why do you want to spend time with me?"

"Beacuse, Granger, I like you. I know I like you because I've never expressed that horrid emotion before. And I know you like me too. We owe it ourselves to explore that."

"Draco, be realistic. Harry, and Ron will not tolerate it, and neither will the Slytherins."

"We don't have to tell them. It could be our secret."

"Draco, again, be realistic. We can't have a relationship when we're ashamed of each other. Besides, it'll come out sooner or later, and then what will we do? We can't keep running from everyone. It'll never work out."

And with that Hermione left the Three Broomsticks ignoring Draco's calls. 


	3. Secrets

Disclaimer: Sorry, but I don't own Harry Potter or anything involved with Harry Potter. If I could buy Draco, I would.

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Hermione walked sulkily away from the Three Broomsticks. She couldn't believe what had just happened. He was _Draco Malfoy _for heavens sake! They had no business together. She wasn't even sure that she liked him! They were better off this way.

Hermione entered the deserted Common Room, and walked up the stairs to the room she shared with the other Sixth Year girls, collapsed in her bed, and fell into a restless sleep.

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On the other side of the castle, Draco also lay restlessly in his bed. How dare she reject him? He was _Draco Malfoy_ for heavens sake? 

'How stupid am I,' he thought to himself. 'I should have known better than to have feelings for a muggle.'

For once Draco thought that her father was right: feelings were a nuisance. They only made you weak and vulnerable. They left you like a sitting duck.

'I'll show her,' he plotted. 'She'll regret she ever said no to me!'

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The next day appeared to be a normal Sunday. Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Neville, held their usual Sunday festivities, while the girls headed to the library to do their homework. 

"Can you believe those boys?" asked Ginny.

"Oh, I know! How disgusting! I heard it was Seamus's idea to have Men's Day. Men's Day! A whole day dedicated to scratch themselves!"

The girl's hearty laughter at Lavender's response was interrupted by a gang of Slytherins walking past the library.

"Oops," said Draco sarcastically as he purposely bumped Hermione.

The Slytherins shared a hearty laugh as they walked away.

"That stupid prat! Look at what he did!" said Ginny, looking at all of the items that had fallen out of Hermione's bag.

"Here, Hermione, let me help you," said Lavender bending down to help Hermione pick up her belongings.

"Thanks," replied Hermione half-heartedly.

What was Draco's problem anyway?

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After a long day of studying, the girls headed to the Great Hall for lunch. Seeing that the boys had saved seats for them, they proceeded to walk towards Gryffindor Table until Hermione heard her name.

"Hey, Granger!" she heard Malfoy shout.

"What is it now, Malfoy?"

"So _you're_ the one that walked into the boys bathroom by mistake!"

"What--where did you hear _that_, Malfoy?"

"Why, it's written write hear...in your journal!"

"How did you get that, Ferret?"

"Simple, Granger: I picked it up after it fell out of your bag this morning when I bumped you."

"_GIVE IT BACK RIGHT NOW, MALFOY, OR I'LL HEX YOU YO NEXT WEEK!"_

"There's no need for that, Granger...I'm just enjoying some..._literature_!"

And with that the rest of the Slytherins exploded in an enormous burst of laughter.

"Ah, now where was I...ah, yes...June 7,..."

Hermione shuddered. She remembered that entry all too well.

"_Dear Journal: I had a dream about him again last night. He was..."_

Hermione watched as Draco read ahead silently, and a look of shock spread across his face.

He knew her secret.

All Draco could do was stare as Hermione ran out of the Great Hall with tears running down her cheeks.


	4. Discoveries

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything included in his books. Sorry if I broke your heart.

Draco sat stunned in the Great Hall. He couldn't believe what he had just read. Should he talk to Granger about it? Should he pretend it never happened? What's a Malfoy to do?

He got up from the table, and proceeded to leave the Great Hall.

"Where are you going, Drake?" shrieked Pansy from the table.

'Keep your answer short and sweet,' he thought .

"Geez, Parkinson. Are you writing a book?"

Draco left the snickering Slytherins behind, and went in search of Hermione.

Hermione sat crying in the Prefect's bathroom. She couldn't believe out of all the people at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy had been the first to discover her secret. She thought that she had left that part of her life behind two years ago when she had written that entry. How cruel was the world to have her one closely guarded secret be shared by the likes of him?

Draco walk down the long corridor in search of the Gryffindor girl. God, he hated having feelings. Especially guilt. Why did he come up with that plot? Well, stealing her journal to embarrass her seemed like a good idea before lunch. Who would have thought that stealing a journal would have such emotional baggage? Who would have thought that Hermione Granger, mudblood, had such a secret?

Draco stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a noise coming from the Prefects bathroom.

"Who's in there?" he shouted .

The noise still continued, but there was no answer.

"I'll give you one more chance to reveal yourself before I go in there?"

When he again received no answer, he said the password to the portrait, and entered.

"You can bet that you're in serious trouble, whoever you are," shouted Draco as he entered the bathroom.

After he was fully in the bathroom, he shut the entrance, and turned around to see Hermione laying on the floor.

"Ah, shit."


	5. Slits

Disclaimer: I'm NOT J.K. Rowling. Sorry, but I'm just not.

Draco stared in awe at the limp body of Hermione Granger. He had no idea what to do. His instincts told him to investigate the scene and see what could have happened.

He lifted her limb arm, and got his answer right away: she had slit her wrists.

At the sight of the cuts, Draco panicked. Should he tell someone? Should he try to take care of it himself? Should he leave and pretend he hadn't seen anything?

Seeing that she was in danger of losing her life, he hoisted her body over his shoulder, and proceeded to carry her body to the hospital wing.

Draco walked down the corridors with a speed he never knew he possessed. Each of her moans made him walk faster. He didn't know why, but he felt obliged to get her to the hospital wing.

As soon as he got her to the proper destination, he dropped the nearly lifeless body in front of the door, and knocked as hard as he could.

He did his part. The rest was in Madame Pomfrey's hands.


End file.
